Mommyish Gift Guide: Pregnant Ladies Don’t Want Baby Stuff

How many holiday seasons will someone spend pregnant? Usually, not many – which is why it’s totally okay to shower a pregnant lady with things that she needs to make her happy and make her pregnancy more tolerable. Please note the absence of baby books, baby clothes, or anything else that doesn’t have to strictly do with making the pregnant woman herself happy. If this is her first – it’s the last holiday season she’ll be the center of attention, ever.

Bad Ass Necklace

thereedspace.com

Is there anything more bad ass than making a human and then unleashing it upon the world? I think not. Help the pregnant lady in your life feel like the bad ass she is.

The Queen of All Body Pillows

Amazon

Look at this thing. I know what you’re thinking, “How does anyone else fit in bed with her if she is shrouded in this amazing pillow?” It’s a fair question. The answer is – who cares? She will sleep so well she’ll forget that she’s robbing her partner of his or her fair share of bed real estate.

‘Don’t Touch’ T-Shirt

Etsy

This is the best shirt, ever. Every pregnant woman should own one.

See’s Candy Bordeaux

Pinterest

My God. What evil genius created these? Oh, I guess grandmama See did. “One of our most requested candies, See’s Milk Bordeaux is a heavenly blend of creamy brown sugar covered in milk chocolate and decorated with chocolate rice.” They are amazing. Don’t expect her to share.

iNeed Massager

Brookstone.com

This thing may be the best invention, ever. You don’t need to strap it to a chair, you can just put it behind you on the couch and lean on it. You can also sit on it – and you can give yourself a foot massage with it. Sitting on it may sound weird, but when I was pregnant I had all sorts of sciatic pain and this helped A LOT. This is not a wimpy massager – it actually gets in there and does the work.

French Macaroons

Pinterest

These are generally crazy expensive for cookies. But think about the amount of money a pregnant person saves by not drinking all year. Cocktails are expensive. This savings should be made up to them in fancy food.

World’s Best Mac and Cheese

Beechershandmadecheese.com

World’s Best Mac and Cheese – that is this food’s official name. Oh my God, look at it. It’s crazy expensive for mac and cheese, but see French macaroon reasoning above. Pregnant ladies get to eat expensive food all the time. It’s only fair.

Buddha Bling

noirjewelry.com

She looks like a glorious Buddha, so why not get her some Buddha bling? If Buddha isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other cool rings on this site. Everyone loves jewelry, right?

Body Butter

Blissworld.com

Body butter is amazing. I like buying this for pregnant women and avoiding the whole ant–stretch mark cream bs marketing. This is a gift to make her feel good, not freak her out by the possibility the human she’s creating may cause some stretch marks.

You Are Beautiful

you-are-beautiful.com

Five dollars gets you 20 stickers that you can stick in random places around the house and make her smile. This may be my favorite thing on the list.

Neither do new moms!
I got a my aunt, who is a new mom for secret santa. My mom knew who I got because she drew a name on my behalf. She gives me the name and proceeds to tell me to go buy baby clothes for her newborn. I was like WTF?! Given the way my family spoils kids, she wont need me to give her more.
At my home, adults only get one present. I am not gonna make a new moms only Christmas gift, a gift for her baby!

http://twitter.com/mariaguido Maria Guido

exactly!

pixie

If I were a pregnant/new mom, I think I would prefer a gift card rather than a present for me, but not because it’s actually for my baby if it came down to choosing between the two. That way I could choose what I wanted (or be able to get something small for both myself and the infant). Even donate to a charity on my behalf, I’m cool with that too. But I’m sure my future baby will be overloaded with gifts of it’s own. (I’m all about things I could personally use or donating a small amount of money on my behalf or homemade things).
I’m cool with surprises though. I’m easily entertained, and am not that hard to buy for, but it’d be depressing as a new mom to open presents (especially if it’s only one!) and be like “sweet, another adorable onesie for my child to add to the hundred they already own. Awesome, my baby sure could use that teething toy”. I think I would fall in love with anyone who bought me a case of wine, though.

Jessica

Last year my daughter was about 9 months old & got way too many presents from my in laws. Half were given just to her. The other half had my name on them for some reason… Gift after gift addressed to me was a baby blanket or a toy. Finally I started commenting, “Oh Amelia, I think this was supposed to be for you!” My husband was upset & had a conversation with my MIL a few days later. Here’s to hoping this Christmas will be better!

Brittany Anne

Ugh, YES.

I was pregnant last Christmas, and Christmas wound up being basically another baby shower. Even my husband got gifts that were really for the baby. I appreciated that everyone was so excited about the baby, but it just kind of added to the feeling that, because I was pregnant, I suddenly had no identity outside of my son (who wasn’t even born yet!).

My mother-in-law (the most amazing mil in the entire world, btw) was the only one who didn’t get me swaddling blankets or baby toys for Christmas. Bless her.

Amber leigh

I was 7 months pregnant last Christmas and all I got was baby things, it sucked… Merry Christmas… Thanks I always wanted a baby hat and mittens…

I am currently 28 weeks pregnant and all I want for Christmas is a cuisinart soft serve ice cream maker. I happened upon it online and now I must have it. When my MIL asked what to get me, my husband showed her where to get it on sale with explicit directions to get this gift and only this. I swear if she gets me baby clothes instead, the future of friendly family relations will be greatly compromised.

MellisaKreisel

Before Born the Baby Pregnant Lady are avoiding to eating this things.

Honestly, I’m fine with baby stuff for Christmas *as long as it’s stuff from my registry* aka things I actually need and was going to have to spend my own money on if no one buys them. I’m having a small shower and therefore am not anticipating many gifts, so if my MIL wants to give me the $200 car seat we’re asking for as a Christmas gift, awesome. That’s $200 I won’t have to spend on the baby that can be spent elsewhere, ideally on things I want/need after the baby is born. Otherwise it will be my MIL and parents buying me shit “for me” that I don’t want or need, like bullshit jewelry that I’ll never wear, or post-baby clothes that are not my style, or body lotion that smells great to mom but terrible to me, or another damn set of tea towels. Nope, buy me that $350 stroller and free up that money so that I can spend it on things I actually want and need for myself post-baby. Unless someone is trying to decide between buying me baby stuff or a case of champagne, of course (I actually think my husband is planning on buying me a case of champagne, and that is why I love him).

effingplates

Quick correction: the cookies are called “macarons”, not “macaroons”. They are two very different pastries.

SA

I got a small baby gift from one of the only people who knew I was pregnant at Christmas. I was like 5 weeks pregnant and this was the first thing I had received for the baby and I was OVERJOYED! If I had been like 30 weeks pregnant I would have probably thrown it in their face. What a difference a few months can make!